You've got this, Mom!

June 04, 2019
First-time mom Melissa Tatara

Getting ready for a baby can be exciting, but also a little scary. For first-time mom Melissa Tatara, the caring team and supportive classes at Lakewood Ranch Medical Center were just what she needed to feel more at ease before and after delivery.

“I had so many questions as I navigated the life of a new parent,” she says. To help prepare for the birth of their daughter, she and her husband attended maternity classes together at Lakewood Ranch Medical Center (LWRMC), where they got to know the staff and see the spacious and private suites in the Women and Children’s Center at LWRMC. This was a big help in making them feel more comfortable when the big day came – especially since their baby girl arrived three weeks ahead of schedule.

Learn more about maternity at Lakewood Ranch >

“It was a surprise when my water broke,” says Tatara. “All of the nurses took the time to explain processes and procedures and put me at ease.” She recalls how her delivery nurse, Becky, went out of the way to help her during and after her delivery. “The staff here is amazing … I had a wonderful birthing experience.”

After returning home from the hospital, she made sure to request a visit from a lactation consultant, who helped her with breastfeeding and suggested she also consider attending the Little Nippers class at LWRMC. This is like a support group for new parents and was invaluable to Tatara while adjusting to motherhood.

“I have found advice, compassion, sympathy and laughter in the walls of that classroom,” she says. It was also helpful to see all the babies at different stages and get an idea of the milestones ahead.

She considers herself extremely lucky to have had such a warm welcome to parenthood. “If I wasn’t a military spouse moving next summer, I would love to have any future children at Lakewood Ranch Medical Center,” she says.

Visit The Family BirthPlace at Manatee Memorial >